Black Clouds Rising

The air is so refreshed, especially if the day has been hot and dry, after a rainstorm. You smell the richness. Feel the coolness. Yes, without the rain the rainbow is not.

These times in my travels are very precious indeed. It takes a whole different style of driving to maintain loads at or below 80,000 pounds upright and on the asphalt and not in the ditch. All my senses are elevated. Feedback from the steering wheel through the hands and the feedback from the seat through the, uh, well, the seat, combine in a waltz of information sorely needed to keep all in balance. It takes just the right amount of pressure on the brake pedal as well, not enough pressure produces that queasy feeling of "no brakes!" control, and too much pressure ensures a sideways slide to eternity. I love the rain.

Of course when the temps cause the liquid to form into a solid, then I don't like. Really, I don't like at all. At this point other factors intrude to ensure no control on your part as to what will happen to the rig. A rock frozen in black ice, unseen, can throw the steers just enough to jerk the steering wheel causing an overreaction and then a disastrous skid to the ditch. Happened once in a car. Not the rig. Yet. I hate the ice.


I have found that life, much like a windshield turned opaque with rain, becomes difficult to make out purpose and reason. Why work? What is it about that four letter word that moves the world? Why did I pick the world of professional driving to make my way? Age was certainly a concern. You figure out how that is. How would you like to turn on the wiper of life, no not that one, remember the windshield, to make it all clear? I know I would.

Life has thrown many obstacles my way in just the last few weeks. I'm not sure if I can remain solvent. Keep this truck business on the asphalt. Keep the bancruptcy judge at bay. More important is keeping the diabetes under control. I will. I have to. With God's help, it's a done deal I tell ya. Keep looking for the rainbows.

The Beauty Within

There is so much out here on the road. Every day, heck, every hour presents something new and wonderful to see and hear and to file away for later contemplation. The picture at left is of the road over the Wasatch Mountains south of Provo UTAH in late spring of 2008. The last of the snow before summer onset. It is a reminder of the winter to come, maybe sooner this year than last. I expect there to be a snow storm or two even as far south as I10 this winter.

Let me tell you of a few things I got to see this year so far: early morning sunlight reflected off the phone and cable wires wet with dew hung so high upon their support poles and led off into the green Shenandoah Valley of Tennessee, giant swells breaking onto the rocky shoreline of Oregon and pressing back upon the spittle from the Columbia River, the wind blowing the mist far inland along the California coast, a lone road marker, much like a solitary sentry guarding the shoulder of the road, illumined in the headlights of my passing Pete on a moonless night in far West Texas, and the light blue haze of smoke settled upon the sleeping slopes of Mount Shasta and making the summit disappear from the fires ignited by a matchbox full of lightning.

All that I see and hear is but a symphony of the beauty within our vast shores. I like to think that it is a symbol of the beauty within us all. No matter the warts and the freckles, no, not even the occasional scar, can lessen the brilliance of the loving heart that dwells within. That is what I look for everyday. That is what is waiting along all the miles of America. And I find it!

So, remember, even rain is a beautiful sight when breaking the spell of a drought!

Pixie Stix

On those lonely rides to nowhere from nowhere, in the depths of the country's most isolated and all but sanitized lands of even the most buzzed AM radio, one gets to think of things. Lots of things. Lots of time to do it with. So, I think of Pixie Stix.

Well, not just Pixie Stix. Nehi Grape soda. Bubblegum cigars. Wax bottles and lips filled with colored sugar water. Jiffy Pop popcorn. You get the idea. Lots of sugar. Lots of fun. Lots of love all around. Man, what a time to be a kid. Even in the 60's you could go to a Saturday Matinee for a quarter and see the newsreel and a cartoon before the main attraction! Bugs Bunny was the bomb man!

And the muscle cars: GTO, The Judge, Camaro, Z28, Roadrunner, SS anything, Mustang, Trans AM Firebird, Olds 442, GTA, GTX, and so many more! The engines: 440, 426, 427, 302 Boss, 429 Boss, injected, blown, and wild. To bad the brakes weren't up to the demands. Smoke. Ah, what a time to be a motorhead.

I suppose all that sugar led to all that horsepower. We had fun in our garages. Not anymore. Cars are just things. Cain't have any sugar. Sugar Smacks all gone. Guess it serves us right. My hair is quickly goin away and what is left is a ghastly shade of grey.

O well, at least my memories are still sugar charged. Now, where did I put that dadgum PSP!

What Do You See?

Today I have a few words about . . . well, about the things you don't see. Or don't take the time to see them. All kinds of God given wonders are all around you. Some so small as to not be noticed and some so big your eyes can't focus on it.

One day I decided to do the dishes. Yes, I get my hands wet in dishwater. Besides, the wife was out of town and I hadn't got the cat trained to do them for me, so there. As in most physical labors I get into a routine and then zone out. Except this time the setting sun revealed a very interesting scene just outside my window. A very small, and I mean small, like a pinhead small, red spider was weaving his evening web to catch his meal. The sunlight lit up the spider to a firey red and made his web glow to a bright sheen. Absolutely beautiful. A little pleasure that I will carry with me forever.

Out on the road, and especially in the great expanses of the West, there are just acres of sights to behold and to get awed by. The two river scenes you see now are of the Missouri River in Montana and of the Columbia River bordering both Oregon and Washington states. It's a shame that these small depictions can't convey the vastness of the scenes. This great country of ours is so magnificent that it is a wonder that most folks aren't inclined to see it! I've talked to folks in Queens that never venture beyond a 5 block radius of home. They say they have everything they need or want right where they are. Look at what God has provided them that they will never see except in a picture. How sad.

I was in a truck stop in South Dakota, just browsing the aisles to see what goodies I could eat, then remembering that sugar is not allowed on my diet, when I spotted something I ain't seen in a hundred years! Man, it brought back memories. A dadgum rubber band gun! Yessiree, built lots of 'em when a kid. You take a piece of board see, then you cut it out in the shape of a pistol, get a clothes pin off the line, make sure mom don't catch ya, break it in two, tack one piece onto the pistol's grip, cut a notch in the barrel end, then go get a used bicycle inner tube and cut it into rubber bands, and viola!, a rubber band gun. Back in the day we kids sure knew how to have a good time. We had big imaginations. Kids today however can't seem to think past their gameboys. Sad I tell ya.

The last two pictures are of the Atchafalaya Swamp in Louisiana. Beauty beyond compare. Gators, fish, birds, swampers, Cajuns, oil, snakes, girls in bikinis, French talk, the most fantastic food in all the world, skeeters, other bugs, it's all here. And then some. I hope you are the type person that sees the good in all things, looks past the problems, keeps the glory of God in perspective. I do. I see America as that bright shiny gleam in all good people's eyes. The way to a bright future, not just the hope for a bright future.

Deadhead Miles

I have to confess to something. Nothing that would cause me an embarrassment. No, not even a blush. I love truckin'.

For me, machines of all kinds held special sway over my heart. Cars, trucks, tractors, engines of all types, monster towering buildings, ships, submarines, planes and trains have all fascinated me. Who builds them, who drives them, who maintains them and more importantly, can I do it? Can I play with them too? You betcha!

One memory I cherish is the time I rode with my Dad in this '53 or '54 Chevy pickup I think it was. I stood on the edge of the seat and stretched my little 4 or 5 year old body over the short dash and gripped the air outlet for the defrost with my pudgy 4 or 5 year old fingers. Looking out the right side of the split windshield, I must have been a sight with my wide grin and wide open eyes. Hell, I was in a truck, I was with my Dad, I was in 4 or 5 year old's heaven. I miss my Dad.

I've pursued ways to make sure that I got to play with all kinds of machines. Or at least to be around them. Some jobs was in the oil patch, they have all manner of machines to do all manner of things, both on shore and off. I did heavy industrial electrical installs and remodels and such. Rebuilt generator sets and installed massive solar heating plants. Spent time in submarines and learned to sail. Built chemical plants and other plants and saw cranes, some the biggest in the world, do their jobs. Fascinating I tell ya.

Now, I drive a big truck. Peterbilt. Hauling the same type machines that have fascinated me for years. It just goes to show that if you want to do something bad enough you'll do what it takes to get it done. I hope you have been going after whatever you dream about. Life is just not long enough for to many detours, to many deadhead miles, know what I mean?

Back In The Day

Back in the day when this B-63 Mack was a working truck and not a shiny show truck it has become today fuel was hardly a concern. Heck, life in America was truly one long summer vacation compared to other parts of the world. We had Elvis and Harleys, hot rods and Saturday nights, roller skating bell hops and pixie sticks, Texas ice houses and drive in movies. Brother the things you could do with 5 bucks and a car.

Independence Day was the grandest party of the year. The biggest. Well, second to Christmas for sure but ya didn't shoot fireworks on that day now did ya! Black Cat firecrackers were to be feared and cherry bombs took out any plumbing flushed down a commode, just don't get caught doin it. There was a technique to throwing Black Cats, usually learned by experience. You lit the fuse and did an underhand toss. I threw one once, only once, overhanded. The dern thing blew up just as it was passing my right ear. Man that was loud. Took off my fingernail to boot!

Boys just had to take the family sedan and make it better. Not that moms approved. But what the heck, it was better than getting into trouble in other ways. Girls rolled up their bobby socks and chewed gum and generally drove the boys wild! They got the rest of the money left over from the car.


The music got loud and proud and sometimes crazy. It became the voice of the now generation. And we started misbehavin in all new kinda ways. Long hair. Dope. Protests. Dye tied shirts. Sit ins. Nonsense now. It started the decline of the indulgent American life. I miss it.

What is really bad about today's economy is that our children and grandchildren will never know the America I and some of you grew up in. They'll just have to hear stories from us old timers about the good ole days, much like it was for us when we were growing up. Except our folks left us a legacy to build on. We knew we were going to have a better life than what they had. Not now. Just what are we leaving for our kids? I sure hope we can leave them something better than a sun setting in a rain storm.

From the Road

You may have noticed a new picture. I've decided to use various shots from the road to lead off the article. Something new. Something different. Kinda like rearranging the furniture.

It's now been a year and a half since I started this business of taking product from a manufacturer and delivering it to where a customer could buy it. This business has taught me a great deal and I know that there are more lessons to come. The first lesson is just how challenging driving a truck really is!

A symphony of sound and movement have to be learned and mastered. Getting 80 thousand pounds to role smoothly is just the beginning. Shifting through the gears, listening to the engine as well as keeping an eye on the tach, being mindful of the 4 wheelers and other traffic not inclined to watch out for the 18 wheeler, looking far enough ahead to plan for emergencies, and listening to the radio can tax the most focused of drivers. Every day I'm getting better.

Then there's the maintenance. I've learned to do most of it myself, that is using the simple hand tools that I own. Some items I have to let mechanics do the work, like changing tires. Oil changes I could do but it is better to have that done as well because where would I put all that used oil? Surely not on the ground. Just today I put new shocks on the front end. Took about 20 minutes. Saved a bundle.

Entertainment and relaxation are critical areas as well. I have Sirius Radio for all those hours behind the wheel and a TV/DVD combo for those hours in the bunk. Mostly movies. And of course a good book. I have to have a good book to read. Walking is still the best form of relaxation for me. I like to explore and find those out of the way eateries. I have not been disappointed.

O, the beauty of this great land I cannot put into words. I was once asked where my favorite part of the country is. Well, that is too hard for me to say. I love it all. Every place has its own special kind of beauty. To see a sunrise in a swamp or a sunset in the desert, how could you choose between the two? I can't. Or would you want to choose between the skyline of New York on a crisp autumn day and morning dew on the electrical wires lit up by the morning rays of the sun down a long country road? The real beauty is this; all that this country is or ever was or ever will be belongs to all of us and we don't have to choose. We can enjoy it all.

Which brings me to a final point, the people I meet. The truckers, the warehouse folks, the broker, the equipment drivers, the waitresses, the clients and the all the ones I meet on my walks are by far good and honest folk. Ready to lend a hand. Ready to offer a joke. Ready to be a friend for no other reason than you are there in the here and now. The farmer in the central valley in California is no different that the logger in central Maine. The cow man in Washington state ain't no different than the fisherman in Florida. The small business owner ain't no different than the trucker. We all want the same things for this country. We all want the government to leave us alone. We all love and respect the flag. We are good people.

Saving a Buck

It has been some time since my last post. Not that I've been sitting on my keister all this time. Nor have I been particularly busy. Life is what life is and now I've time to talk.

I've officially reached the first old man milestone, the double nickel birthday. Yep, 55. Let me say right now that the senior coffee at Mickey D's is so much better at the senior price. I don't feel especially old enough to deserve the senior status. But what the hay, I'll certainly take advantage of the priveleges like being on the welfare dole. Everyone should save a dollar where ever one can. These days with lowered expectations from our economy saving even pennies count.

I found in the local Von's (that's a supermarket here locally if you are reading this outside of SoCal) for instance a way for anyone to save on their entertainment bill. There is this red kiosk of movie rental DVD's. Execpt on Mondays the rental price is $1.49 plus tax. You rent the movie, go home, make some popcorn, get a few sodas out of the fridge, and voila!, a cheap family outing. Let me put this into some form of context for you. In the 60's, I remember getting gas in my VW, movie tickets for me and my date, getting popcorn and drinks, all for 5 bucks. 5 dollars!

And on the internet today I noticed a webmercial (I made that up, like it?) touting 3.5% interest on mortgages. However, I did not notice if that was for a fixed loan or not. Anyway, I don't ever remember them being that low, ever. So, hey, if you are in the market, take advantage.

In my truck business as well I've found ways to save. The first week in January past I was in Thibodaux, Louisiana, southwest of New Orleans about 50 miles. It was cold! One night it got down to 14 degrees f. Well, I did not run the truck to keep the heater going. I placed 3 thick blankets on my bed, climbed into my winter jammies, pulled the covers to my chin and went to sleep. That is how I was brought up. We did not run the heat all night. Wouldn't have done much good anyways in those old drafty houses to begin with. To run my Peterbilt for 10 hours at idle will use near 9 gallons of diesel. At today's prices, near 30 bucks. I save $210 every week by not idling that truck.

And so on and so forth. I still walk as much as possible though 6 miles a day on the road is near impossible. I gained back about 8 pounds. It's OK. After 2 years my weight is at 165. Not bad from the 210+ before that. I'm still working my plan. It is my desire that you too are working a plan and reaping the benefits. Life is so much better when the fat is trimmed.